Bay 12 Games Forum

So, for my D&D game, I ran into writers block, and I had to make a session, but couldn't come up with any story justification. So I developed what I call a 'Zelda Style Dungeon', which is basically a place that exists for no other reasonable purpose but to have adventurers explore it and defeat the monsters and traps.

I don't generally like these, because they really have absolutely no justification for their existence. There is no reason for anyone to build a fortress like this. At all.

But then I realized something. There is a reason. A very specific reason, but a reason none the less...

These dungeons were built by the Cult of Armok, a small but infamous group of Dwarves known for building absolutely insanely dangerous architecture for no practical purpose whatsoever, almost as though it were their version of art. They are no longer extant, and the only clue to their disappearance is a three foot high layer of volcanic rock at their most recent locations. The ruins are still numerous and extant however, as they are extraordinarily dangerous, and rarely contain any treasures worth the incredible risk, and thus are rarely explored.

For those of you who haven't caught on yet... In ALL of my D&D settings, the Dwarves from Dwarf Fortress exist, solely to justify dungeons that have no discernible purpose. The best part is... would anyone disagree with me that Dwarf Fortress Dwarves were actually behind the construction of every single temple / fortress / dungeon / etc... ever made in any game that has no reason to exist other than as a place to adventure? I didn't think so.

So, I got to thinking, and I realized, there was more I could do with this. And here's where I ask for the communities help. In the Tome of Magic, a class called the Binder is introduced. Binders call upon Vestiges, spirits who when they died, didn't exactly die like everyone else. Mortals on the brink of deification, or perhaps those who so angered the gods they were removed from existence altogether. The reasons are many and mysterious, varying for each Vestige. I thought this would be a good way to introduce a famous character from Dwarf Fortress fan lore. But who?

And then it hit me. It made perfect sense, and it involved my personal favorite 'dwarf' too. So, here's the entry based on what I have so far...

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Cacame Awemedinide, The Immortal Onslaught

Legend: (For the story of his life, go check out the wiki if you don't know it, what follows is the end of the entry) When Cacames long reign was over, his hatred for elvenkind burned just as bright as it ever did. When he died, his hatred was too great to be contained, for elves still walked the world. He would not rest until he had ended every single elf that had ever lived. His hatred, combined with his status as a living legend, gave him just enough power to escape the afterlife, and so he became a Vestige, granting power to those who would continue his war on the elves.

Binding DC: 25

Special Requirement: May not be summoned in the presence of any elf that is not under the power of the Binder. If the Binder had previously summoned Cacame, and made no attempt to kill any elves during the last summoning, the Binder will automatically fail his Binding check, so that Cacame can better exert his will on the Binder this time around.

Manifestation: Cacame appears as though he had always been there, the summoner cannot recall his appearance, even if he was looking at the seal at the time of the summoning. Cacame looks as he did in life, with a bored expression on his face. He speaks simply and to the point, and does not bother with any kind of pleasantries or small talk. Bindings with Cacame are thus usually very short.

Sign: The Binders eyes glow, as though pools of magma were contained behind his irises.

Influence: Cacame continues to exist for one reason. The destruction of all elf-kind. While under Cacames influence, the Binder must treat any and all elves he encounters as mortal enemies. The Binder need not rush any elves he encounters, but if given a reasonable opportunity to slay the elf, the Binder must take it.

Granted Abilities: Cacame was said to be able to slay a dragon with a mere two hammer blows, but his real strength lay in the destruction of the elves he so hated.

Warhammer Mastery: The Binder gains proficiency with the Warhammer. If the Binder already had this proficiency, he gains Weapon Focus for the Warhammer instead. If he had Weapon Focus, he gains Weapon Specialization.
Elf Hatred: The Binder gains Favored Enemy: Elves as the Ranger class feature. This bonus starts at +2 at effective Binder Level 1 and increases by +2 on every fourth effective Binder level (+4 at level 4, +6 at level 8, etc...)
Smite of Cacame: Once every five rounds, the Binder may strike a vicious blow. This functions as a normal melee attack, however the Binder adds his Charisma to the attack roll, and deals bonus damge equal to the Binders effective Binder level. If the target is an elf, the bonus damage from Elf Hatred is doubled for the attack.

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So, there we are. DF Dwarves designed to fit into otherwise serious D&D settings, and a Vestige version of Cacame Awemadinide. Any further advice on adjusting this would be appreciated...

A somewhat unrelated pair of questions in this same topic in order to avoid clogging up the main page. Are underwater lakes considered to be sourced if they have an edge touching the edge of the map? And can you prevent mushroom trees from growing on muddied rock by smoothing the stone over? I'd hate to have to clear a blockage like that.

Ah, okies. I'll dissasemble then. But on the issue of mining, has anyone else been having trouble with the AIs mining responsibilities? They'll leave things I've been wanting mined out for ages. There's some designated mining areas that have been left alone for at least a full game year by now... I'm still on .12, btw.

Normally, I'm more amused at the death of my dwarves, but this is my broker, the sole possesor of an incredibly useful and incredibly hard to train skill (He's also a pretty handy miner, and I have ALOT of mining to do). And, as it stands, heavily injured in a mining collapse. Somehow, he ended up in a bed resting, but despite me immediately setting up a hospital and making sure the barely medically trained dwarves would be ready to recieve him, they seem content to leave him to die of thirst and starvation. First off, I should note that I'm playing on a map with no rivers, just a couple of murky pools, so water is scarce. Can I get at the stuff just by designating it in 'zones'? And more importantly, how do I get them to actually care about the sucker. Last time I had no broker, I ended up throwing my entire civilization at the merchants after the deal went sour (everyone died!). Admittedly those were different circumstance, but I'm not too keen on trading tons of jewel encrusted crafts for a single seed, just to make sure they don't get offended and leave.

So, my first attempt to settle an aquifer didn't go too well. I almost made it out alive, but well, enjoy the story ^_^.

******

My heart heavy, I walked into the office of the Baron.

“Why did you need to see me?”

“There's been a great tragedy, my lord.”

“Has something happened to Migruratir?”

“Many somethings, disaster after disaster, and I fear I was the final one,” I slumped down into a chair, my memories of that place haunting me, “I do not wish to relate it, but I have brought this journal,” I handed to him the journal that was all that remained of the dwarves of Migruratir, and the Baron began to read, I helped him read along best I could, stained with blood and water logged as it was, I had taken time on the trip back to understand best what happened.

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First of Granite, Journal of Kogan Dakostsakrith

We arrive at Migruratir, cold, but well filled with supplies, and we shall need them. The land is covered in snow and there doesn't appear to be anything growing, and the reports the mountainhome have left us with say that the ice does not thaw here. We'll have to dig down beneath the ground to find underground plants and water to sustain us. And this, too, seems difficult as the ground below our feet is filled with water, digging through to the sturdy rock will prove difficult. It shall not be easy beginning our lives here, but we will make do. A dwarf does not let challenge stop him.

I have commanded the boys to begin carving us out somewhere to stay. With the aquifer all around, we cannot carve any great quarters, lest the water floor us out. But it shall do to get us out of this blisteringly cold wind, and back underground.

Fourth of Slate

Our quarters dealt with, I decided it was time we begin to fight the aquifer. Without rock, a Dwarf is no better than a human. A miner myself, I devised a plan. We could not stop the aquifer from flowing, but we could stop it from being a problem. The idea was to not just mine tunnels, but create a quarry! The air would freeze the aquifer shut, so that we could tunnel through it.

Alas, disaster struck, Rovod, my good friend fell into the flooding water as he carved into the rock. Whether he drowned or froze to death, we shall never know, as he was buried in the ice that formed around him. We could not even attempt to retrieve his body, or his pick, for fear of the same thing happening again.

Still, I continued work and eventually I alone beat the aquifer. Now, we would carve ourselves some homes, and build our mine. But that night, we all rose a pint to Rovod.

Sixth of Slate, Supplementary Entry by As Rakustcog

Kogan has gone missing in the mines, I am uncertain as to what has happened.

Sixth of Slate, Supplementary Entry by As Rakustcog

The rock had crumbled as he mined, leaving him no way to return to the surface! We had no rope to retrieve him with, and do not know how to proceed. If Kogan dies, his pick with him, we shall not only have lost our leader, but any hope of us doing any mining until the caravan arrives next year.

Seventh of Slate

Sweet Armok, I can't believe I survived that. I have taken up a new appreciation for masons. I was barely able to construct a stairwell from the rock I mined to climb my way out. Climbing to the surface, I gazed upon the ice-bound body of Rovod. I fear this place is cursed.

Twenty-Seventh of Slate

Disaster again. I could have sworn the rock was solid, but perhaps, it only took a bit. The water started to flow. I ordered a wall to be put up, lest our whole encampment be flooded. We survived, but only one room was saved the water. It was dangerous to build up here. We would move into the mines tonight.

Second of Malachite, Journal of Unib Orshathob

I can't believe it. This place seeks our blood. And it has taken it. The mountainhomes said this land was perpetually frozen. IT ISN'T.

The ice we left to seal the aquifer melted. Only three of us were on the surface. Me, Cilob Udoskeskal, and Kogan. Kogan told me he was going to see if he could save anyone, saying this was all his fault, and that if he died, at least he would pay the price for his failure.

He never returned.

We waited hours, but in the end, it was just me and Cilob. With no axe, and no picks. Stranded in a frozen land with nothing but the clothes on our backs.

I think I blacked out for a while. Cilob told me I had been shouting at the mule. I found this journal left above ground, the only thing left of Kogan, his failures, his triumphs, and his bravery. I will keep it for now, so that perhaps others will know what came of us.

Fourth of Malachite

Armok's Beard! There are plants here! I do not know why we saw none when we arrived, but now we might just survive. Perhaps the last year had been unusually cold. That would explain their absence, and why we thought the ice walls would hold. No matter, we have food to eat, and they might even be grown in our own farm plots, if we can crack the frozen soil.

No longer in a depressive fit, I remembered the stocks of wood and stone we had kept above ground. While we lost much underneath it all (Including all of our food) not all the wood nor rocks had been brought done. We would make a still, a kitchen, and barrels. We still had the one room that had not flooded. We would survive.

First of Galena

Migrants have arrived. No-one in the mountainhomes must have known. Instead of warm beds and comfortable caverns, they were met with us working outside. I feel miserable that still more must suffer in these lands.

But still, progress has been good. We will have enough food to last the winter, and when the caravan comes, we will be able to trade for picks and axes. And we will be able to build again.

Nineteenth of Galena

Tempers are getting high. The one cave is serving as our dining room, the barracks, and the only place to get out of the cold. Still, we may just make it. I won't be writing in this for sometime, every second not getting more food could cost us.

Thirty-first of Opal

THE CARAVAN IS HERE.

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“Is that it?” The baron asked?

“Yes, we arrived, I don't think I've ever seen dwarves so happy to see me, almost delirious. I should have known... Anyway, they brought out some wooden crafts and some food, and asked for our picks and axes. It was a terrible deal, I don't think the broker had any idea of the value of goods. I was insulted and told the caravan to packup and leave. Then... they went mad.”

“They attacked the caravan. Every one of them. They were half naked and unarmed, but now, in hindsight, those tools meant the difference between life and death, I think they saw me as their only hope. And my guards killed every one of them.” I took a large swig of brandy.

“Amazed at the sudden change in the behavior of the dwarfs, we looked around, and found exactly what this book described. Nothing but farm plots, and a single room in the mountain side. This book is all that remains of them. I think the many long months living above ground in the freezing cold drove them mad, that my caravan was the only thing that could save them, and when they thought they had lost that chance, they went mad... They never said they were suffering at all, but still...”

The Baron stood, “I understand. It is most unfortunate. But we must not let those poor dwarfs be forgotten. They survived disaster after disaster, it is not their fault they were finally claimed by madness. I will order a new expedition, to continue their work. But most importantly, they will entomb the bodies. Deep below the rock. Those dwarves were forced to live like filthy elves. And it is too late to change that. But at least they will lie in death as Dwarves.

*****

So yah, I managed to survive for over half a year on nothing but logs and stones left over from the flooding. And then, the caravan came and due to the abysmal appraisal skill of my dwarves, I completely failed to trade for anything. I could have survived another year until the next caravan, probably, anyway, but there was pretty much nothing to do as I had no way of tunneling or building anything. So, I ordered the dwarves to attack the caravan en masse, and they were promptly cut down. I've started a new settlement there, and once I can get things setup, I'll create 16 empty tombs to commemorate their sacrifices. I should be able to handle the aquifer this time through. I think. Still, despite claiming the fortress, it's not like I'm left with much to help me along. My dwarves really were just living on the surface with all their activities devoted to eating and drinking. In terms of stuff all that was left was a single barracks/dining room, a carpenters workshop, a kitchen and a still (The last three were all outside). So basically, the first year left me with little more than a good story and a fun time.

Darn, this'll be harder than I thought. Perhaps I won't flood the entire map then, leave some of the highest peaks dry, perhaps even build places to let the immigrants in through.

In retrospect, I don't really need a drowning trap.. I simply need to submerge the entire place. I'll simply build the screw pumps to bring the water up to the highest point on the map (As I understand it, screw pumps can't pump to higher levels than them) and cover the brook in floor tiles, leaving nowhere for the water to drain out. With my only entrance then sealed, my dwarves will happily exist buried under several tons of water. Sure, they'll develop cave adaptation, but if they leave the fortress, that'll be the least of their worries.

Booze: b(uild),w(orkshops),(Stil)l will build a still. It doesn't need anything special to make it. Then set it to 'brew drink' hit r for repeat and you're good until you run out of plants or barrels.

Beds: Make a bed at a carpenters shop (b(uild),w(orkshop),c(arptener's shop) for the shop, b for the bed itself), then hit b(uild),b(ed) and place the bed.